A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a hearing protector, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a combination hearing protector and illumination provider.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Environmental sounds typically include a mixture of various sound wave frequencies having varying intensities.
It is well documented that repeated or prolonged exposure to sounds of a sufficiently high sound pressure level will cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. For example, exposure to sound waves of some frequencies and of varying intensities under conditions of severe impact can damage the auditory organ and cause serious hearing problems including deafness.
Injurious noises, such as those caused by explosions or bursts, often include a mixture of sound frequencies of varying intensity. These disturbing frequencies are in both the high and low frequency bands and have an intensity sufficient to cause hearing problems. Individuals who are frequently exposed to sounds having such disturbing—and sometimes dangerous—frequencies and intensities run the risk of incurring injuries, such as hearing loss or even deafness. These individuals include workers at demolition or construction sites, operators of heavy, noisy equipment, and those in active military service.
Ear, i.e. hearing, protection is needed to prevent loss in hearing acuity and the gradual increase in the threshold of hearing resulting from extended exposures to loud noise. Hearing protective devices are designed to reduce negative effects of exposure to dangerous frequencies by limiting the entry of all sound waves into the auditory organ.
Hearing protectors fall generally into three categories including protectors capping the entrance to the ear canal, protectors entering the ear canal and sealing the ear canal prior to the bend in the ear canal—usually referred to simply as semi-insert devices, and protectors entering the ear canal and taking the bend in the ear canal—sometimes referred to as banded earplugs. Semi-insert hearing protectors generally protect similarly to earplugs, but usually to a lesser level, and are also referred to as semi-aural hearing protectors.
Hearing protective devices are worn in a wide variety of environments. In many instances, these hearing protective devices are worn in dark or limited light environments. When the hearing protective devices are worn in a dark environment, there are additional factors that should be considered. For example, because the hearing protective devices are designed to attenuate noise, there is an increased chance that an individual in a given environment may not be aware of events happening around the wearer, especially when it is dark out and the eyesight of the wearer is limited due to this darkness. It is also more difficult to locate objects laid down or accidently dropped in a dark environment.
Hearing protectors frequently are worn by people who are exposed to dangerous conditions. Having the hearing protectors over ones ears may in fact present additional dangers to the wearer. Further, the wearer may need to use the hands while working to illuminate the working space.
Under various circumstances of employment, it is necessary for workers to wear ear muffs to protect their ears from an overly noisy environment or to wear headphones for protection from noise and for communication in spite of the noise. There are occasions when the work being done in these noisy environments is not adequately illuminated, and it would be useful to be able to wear head-mounted lights as well as ear covering apparatus.
Numerous innovations for ear coverings have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure, and/or operation, and/or purpose from the embodiments of the present invention, in that they do not teach a combination hearing protector and illumination provider.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,069 to Eichost.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,069 issued to Eichost on Nov. 6, 1990 in class 362 and subclass 105 teaches lights incorporated in or attached to ear covering apparatus, such as ear muffs and earphones, and directed to illuminate a work area in front of the wearer of the apparatus. The lights are positioned low on the ear covering apparatus to avoid reflection of light into a wearer's eyes by eyeglasses.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,113 to Wingate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,113 issued to Wingate on Apr. 13, 1999 in class 181 and subclass 141 teaches a method and apparatus of providing a personalized light source in conjunction with a sound system, including mounting a personalized light source on a support for supporting at least one speaker next to a wearer's ear. The personalized light source includes an effective light source mounted at the distal end of a semi-flexible stem. The stem allows the effective light source to be aimed as desired by the wearer and may be extended from or retracted into the support.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,141 to Bradley.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,141 issued to Bradley on Sep. 14, 1999 in class 362 and subclass 105 teaches a head mounted illumination device, including a light source disposed within a housing. The light source includes a plurality of lights disposed within the housing. The housing is securable to a mouthpiece of a headset to facilitate securement of the light source to the headset. An activation button is disposed within the housing. The activation button is in communication with the light source. The activation button includes a contact switch extending outwardly of the housing. The contact switch aligns with a lip of a user. A power source is securable to the headset. The power source includes wiring extending outwardly therefrom. The wiring couples with the activation button to facilitate communication therewith.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,146 to Knauer et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,146 issued to Knauer et al. on Aug. 1, 2000 in class 128 and subclass 864 teaches hearing protective devices having glow-in-the-dark properties. In an exemplary embodiment, the hearing protective device includes a semi-aural device, an earplug, or an earmuff device. In all embodiments, a glow-in-the-dark material is incorporated into at least a part of the earing protective device so that the glow-in-the-dark material continues to emit light for an extended period of time in a dark environment after the material has been excited by irradiation. Preferred and exemplary glow-in-the-dark materials include phosphorescent materials. The glow-in-the-dark materials may be disposed on a surface of the hearing protective part or dispersed throughout the material forming this part.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,978 to Mehler et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,978 issued to Mehler et al. on Dec. 28, 2004 in class 362 and subclass 190 teaches an earpiece light. In particular, an earpiece having a power supply and a light source mounted on the earpiece. The earpiece light is preferably for use on a person's outer ear. The earpiece light includes an ear support, preferably for placement behind the user's crest of helix. The ear support is attached to a power supply housing, preferably for placement over the user's external auditory canal. The power supply housing has a power supply and a lamp arm, with a distal end extended from the power supply housing. The power supply is connected to a light source mounted on the distal end of the lamp arm. Preferably, the lamp arm is positioned below the ear support, and the power supply is connected to a light source, preferably an LED, mounted on the lamp arm.
(6) United States Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0207143 to Bishop et al.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0207143 published to Bishop et al. on Sep. 22, 2005 in class 362 and subclass 106 teaches a flashing safety headwear, including affixing with glue a light assembly through the underside of a cap. A commercially available battery pack with a switch is placed in a rear battery pouch. The batteries are connected to the lamp by wiring a series electrical circuit. Wires from the batteries serving the light and switch assembly are routed through the inner lining of the cap. The wires are then soldered to the lamp and controlled off and on by the switch. The light is intended to be used anytime visibility is restricted due to no or low light conditions in order to alert any person to the presence of another individual.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,902 to Tyler.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,902 issued to Tyler on Apr. 4, 2006 in class 2 and subclass 209 teaches a heated ear guard for warming the ears of a user, having a pair of reflector assemblies and a headband extending between the reflector assemblies for positioning the reflector assemblies over the ears of the user. Each reflector assembly has an open end, a light bulb, and orients light from the light bulb toward the open end. When the opened end is positioned over the ears, the light bulbs radiate heat to the ears. The reflector assemblies may include a translucent peripheral ring encircling the open end and allowing some light to escape thereat to enhance the visibility of the user.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for ear coverings have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a combination hearing protector and illumination provider.